FM32 R is for Raison D'être
by Miz Em
Summary: AN: Granger Clan Saga. Tyler stops a serial killer before Giselle gets hurt.Raison D'être reason to be, reason for existence.


**A/N: **Granger Clan Saga. Tyler stops a serial killer before Giselle gets hurt. _  
Raison D'être_ - reason to be, reason for existence.  
--

"I'm sorry this isn't a Ferrari," Tyler murmured to Giselle as they got into his Nissan.

Giselle looked incredulously at him, "Do you really think it matters to me?"

Tyler smiled, "No, perhaps not to you. It's just my pride talking. I would love to drive you around in a Ferrari. Or better. You deserve the best."

"Oh, Tyler," Giselle's eyes misted at the sentiment. "You matter more to me than any silly car."

He grinned, absurdly pleased, then sobered, "I talked to Cam about handling my finances today. I'm not sure who was more surprised when I asked, him or me. But it was easier than I thought it would be. He thought it might be better for our relationship if Chas handled my finances instead, but he would keep an eye out for me. Not that he doesn't trust Chas. You know."

"Why now, Tyler? I thought you were doing well." The change made Giselle curious. Tyler never seemed to care about money as long as he had a roof over his head.

Tyler shrugged diffidently, "Just wanted to have options in case you decided not to work."

She smiled, "How many kids were you thinking?" Giselle burst into laughter at his discomfiture. "Have you ever talked to your parents about how difficult it was for them?"

"We don't have to have children if you don't want to," he protested. He sighed with relief at the humor in her eyes. "I actually do remember how difficult it was for them. Financially, I mean. We were angels of course, and never gave them a moment's trouble."

"I can't believe you managed to keep a straight face while you said that!"

Tyler grinned, amazed at how happy her laughter made him feel. "Just one of the things you learn at the FBI. And from being Cam's brother."

Giselle leaned over and caressed his earlobe with her tongue. She laughed softly when he swerved.

"Ah, I don't think that's a good idea when I'm driving," Tyler managed to say without stammering.

She giggled, "I'll behave. In the car."

The wide grin on his face promised he would misbehave with her when they got home.

----

"Well, somebody's in a good mood," Jonathan gibed when Tyler walked into the bullpen, whistling.

Justin grinned at Tyler, "Think you could come down from cloud nine long enough to work on this serial killer case?"

Both men laughed when Tyler turned red. His reticence with his private life amused them, considering how open the rest of his family had always been.

He laughed as well, a little self-conscious about his obvious happiness. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, man," Jonathan clapped a hand on his shoulder, "I'm a little jealous, but I AM happy for you."

"What happened to the supermodel?" Both Justin and Tyler were curious now.

Jonathan rolled his eyes, "It would have been nice to have a conversation about something other than makeup and clothes."

"Not to mention having to listen to Aunt Olivia going on about her, I bet," Tyler teased, partly in sympathy.

Jonathan cut him a resigned look but didn't reply.

Chuckling a little, Justin took over, "Alright, back on this case. It's been tossed to us because the killer seems to have moved to Los Angeles. Here are copies of the files."

"Jeez, Ty." Jonathan was startled as he went through the pictures of the victims.

"I noticed." A muscle jumped in Tyler's clenched jaw. The victims looked like Giselle.

"Keep the wall up, Ty, we have a job to do," Justin glanced sharply at him. He released a breath when Tyler pulled himself together. He knew Tyler was too much of a professional to let his personal life get in the way, but he also knew how difficult it would be if the victims had looked like Keeley.

Before long, they were immersed in the case, but Tyler called Cameron the first chance he got.

"What's wrong?"

Tyler smiled in rueful amusement. Cameron was just as attuned to him as he had been to Brandon. "It's this serial murder case I'm working, Cam. The victims look like Giselle."

"Do you want me to get her a bodyguard?" Cameron started to pace around his office. Giselle had been a close friend since college.

"Yes, please. Just someone to keep an eye out on things. I don't think they need to stick close to her. It's just a precaution." There was no hesitation. Giselle was his raison d'être. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her. "I'll call her to explain."

"Just get him, Ty."

"We will. Thanks, Cam."

----

"Giselle Lataille."

Tyler's heart warmed to hear her voice. "It's me."

She laughed, "And what does 'me' want with me?"

"Everything." He chuckled at her sass. Then he sobered, "Cam's getting you a bodyguard, honey."

"Why?" Giselle's surprise showed in her voice.

Tyler hesitated as he tried to phrase it without frightening her.

"It must be the case you're working on." Understanding dawned on Giselle. "Does the victim look like me?"

"Yes." Tyler heaved a deep sigh of regret. He would have done anything to keep this part of his life away from Giselle.

"Tell me what I need to do differently." Giselle had known Hannah for a long time now. If Hannah could deal with it, she could too.

His heart softened with tenderness, "Don't go anywhere alone. The bodyguard's just going to tail you for now. There's no threat, it's just for my ease of mind." He paused for a moment, and then decided quickly, "One of us will show up to take you home in the evenings. Don't leave with anyone you don't know."

Giselle grinned, "One of your gun-toting family members?"

Tyler laughed, "Or gun-toting friends, yes."

"Alright. Just get him, Ty." Giselle blew him a kiss over the phone.

"I love you," he said softly, before he hung up.

----

Several weeks passed with Tyler working a lot of overtime on the case. All of it fruitless, he thought bitterly as he looked down at the latest victim. They weren't even close to getting the serial killer. He passed a weary hand over his face, sighing as he felt the stubble on his jaw. It had been a long day, and it looked to be even longer.

His cell beeped, and he smiled at the text message from Giselle, telling him that she was home, and Rafe was on his way to Verity's. He would have to do something special for his family and friends, pitching in to make him feel better about Giselle's safety.

"You know what this means?" Jonathan rubbed his face as well, mirroring Tyler's weary motion. "He's on the hunt again."

Siti nodded in frustration. She was the newest member of their team, usually very quiet and self-contained, but the weariness had brought down the walls of her usual reticence. "And public announcements wouldn't help any."

Justin came up to where they were standing. "Go home, Siti. You might still be able to tuck your children in bed."

A flash of humor lit her eyes, "Why don't you go home instead, fearless leader? I'm a woman and a mother of two, I can handle pain you mere men can only imagine."

It hadn't been that funny, but all four of them laughed. Black humor, Tyler thought sadly. They would be a few more hours wrapping this up.

----

Giselle woke up the next morning to find Tyler already gone. She kicked herself for not waking up fully when he came home the night before. All she remembered was him getting into bed. He had gathered her into his arms and murmured her back to sleep.

She grinned to see Colby at her door. "Is it your turn to baby-sit?"

He returned her grin. "He's just worried about you."

"I know." Giselle's mouth softened with tenderness. "I'm just sorry to impose on everyone like that."

"No one looks at as an imposition, Giselle." Colby's eyes were insistent. "We're all too aware of what might happen."

She hugged him, grateful for always being there for her. Even back when she was just one of his son's college friends. She marveled at Colby and Hannah's capacity to love and protect.

"Don't go anywhere alone," he admonished as he walked her to the gallery when they got there.

"Yes, Daddy." She was gratified to see him flash a pleased smile. It would be true soon enough, when she and Tyler got married.

----

"Dad, you're still here! Aren't you taking Giselle home tonight?" Tyler was edgy with worry.

Colby glanced at Tyler and shook his head at his impatience, "Chill out, son. She called and said she needed another hour. Some shipment or other came in."

But Tyler was still edgy, "I'll come with you."

That earned him a raised eyebrow from his father. "What are you not telling me?"

"The gallery is in one of four possible areas where the serial killer might strike next. That's the closest Uncle Charlie could get for us. So it's nothing I can really substantiate, but I have a bad feeling. Let's go, okay?"

----

The gallery was dark when they got there.

"This is not good," Tyler said sharply. He called for backup.

"You're going to be in trouble if nothing's wrong," Colby murmured, but he was already looking for the bodyguard. "Well, your instincts were right." The bodyguard was slumped over the steering wheel. "Still alive. Looks like he's been drugged."

"I'm going in."

"Alright, I'll take the back."

Tyler turned the door handle as quietly as he could. Locked. He was glad now that he'd harassed Giselle into giving him a key. He unlocked the door and stepped in, wondering how his father was going to get in from the back. The soft soles of his shoes were quiet on the wood floor of the gallery, as he moved with cat-like grace through the darkened gallery. He gritted his teeth when he saw Giselle prone on the floor, apparently unconscious.

He froze and ducked behind a large statue when he heard a voice. Someone talking to himself, Tyler thought. And it didn't sound like his father. He couldn't quite make out the words. Then he saw a shadow fall over Giselle. He moved as quickly as he could towards them, breathing a little easier when the shadow moved away again.

When he saw the coast was clear, he darted in and picked Giselle up, and started to head out the door.

"Don't do that, oh, don't do that. She's mine. All mine."

The hairs on the back of Tyler's head rose as a shiver of fear ran down his spine. "I don't know who you are, but you're not getting her." Tyler eased around a little, and was glad that the intruder didn't have a gun. But he did have a very large, very nasty looking knife. Watching the intruder carefully for any sudden moves, Tyler slid Giselle gently to the floor and stepped in front of her. "Put that knife down. Just put it down."

"Give her back. She's mine."

He matches the description of the serial killer, Tyler thought as he moved closer to the intruder. "She doesn't belong to anyone. Put down the knife. And we'll talk."

"No! She's mine!" the intruder screeched and attacked Tyler.

Tyler saw the flash of the knife, and barely saw the baseball bat connect with the hand holding the knife. His jaw dropped at the smooth motion as his father handcuffed the intruder.

"Um, wow." Tyler was speechless at his father's speed and grace. Who knew the old man could still move so quickly?

"Stop standing there like an idiot, and get Giselle off the floor." Colby growled.

"Right."

The ambulance had finally got there, and the paramedics were already checking Giselle out before she regained consciousness.

"Oh, no, what happened?"

"Shh, everything's alright now." Tyler hugged her close in relief. "The bodyguard's conscious too, and embarrassed. Cameron's ripped him a new one."

Her eyes were wide, "Was it...?"

"The serial killer, yes," Jonathan replied.

Tyler cut him an annoyed look when Giselle gasped in fear.

Jonathan shrugged; she was going to find out one way or another. "He was dressed like a delivery guy."

"Yes, it was a late shipment. And I was filling out the paperwork. But what happened?"

"He slipped something in your coffee, and came back in later," Justin told her.

"And you didn't recognize him, Giselle?" Colby's voice was gentle.

Giselle looked puzzled, "No, should I have?"

"Yes."

Everyone looked at Colby in surprise.

"You don't remember the football captain that assaulted you?" Colby patted her on her shoulder as shock filled her eyes. "Didn't you bite him? On the neck?"

Tyler was horrified, "That's where the serial killer bit his victims!"

"You mean, Johnson? I had to put him out of my mind so I could move on." Giselle started to tremble. "The serial murders? Oh, no! Surely, it's not related to the assault?"

But it was. It had started not long after Giselle had foiled the assault, some of the kills weren't even in the files they had. The need to kill had only recently escalated, culminating in Giselle as the final victim. Johnson had planned to kill himself when he was through with Giselle. The bite marks would put him away.

----

Tyler came home later to find Giselle cradled in his mother's arms. He swallowed the pain he felt at the lost look in Giselle's eyes. "Mama," he kissed Hannah on her cheek, as Giselle roused herself and got up to let Hannah up. "Let me drive you home."

Hannah shook her head and hugged him, "Your father said he was right behind you. You should stay with Giselle anyway." She kissed him goodbye when she heard Colby pull into the driveway. "It's going to be alright."

"I'm so sorry," Tyler murmured, as he pulled Giselle into his arms.

"Oh, Tyler, it's not your fault and you know it." Giselle rubbed her cheek against his. "I shudder to think what might have happened if I hadn't met up with you again. You saved my life."

"I don't think I could bear it if anything happened to you. You're my raison d'être."

"Tyler, I feel safer with you now than I've ever felt in my life. I love you. Don't let this maniac take that away from us." Giselle slid her arms around him and kissed him.

"I won't," Tyler murmured. "But we're going to have to do something so I feel better about leaving you alone."

"You could teach me self-defense," Giselle smiled at him.

His heart soared to see the mischief back in her eyes. "Well now, rolling around on the floor with you does have its merits."

She laughed softly as he pulled her down to the floor with him.


End file.
